The National Retail Federation (NRF) and CNBC have announced the launch of their new monthly CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions. The CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor uses actual, real-time debit and credit card purchase data to provide more accurate and timely insights into retail sales activity across all US sectors, categories, and markets. The companies announced their partnership and the benefits of the new Retail Monitor for the retail industry and the broader economy on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” Click here to watch.
The CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor leverages Affinity Solutions’ data from more than 140 million credit and debit cards, with nearly nine billion transactions totaling more than $500 billion in annual spending, to measure the monthly and annual change in US retail sales.
“The CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor will provide comprehensive, granular, and timely insights that measure monthly retail sales and gauge the state of the retail industry, the consumer, and the broader economy,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “The CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor will modernize how retail sales are tracked and measured, and Affinity Solutions’ vast dataset of how, what, and where the consumer is spending will identify how key demographics and channels are performing for the industry generally and for specific retail sectors.”
“CNBC is pleased to join with NRF and Affinity to offer this data. Our audience, investors, and executives alike will now be armed with dynamic insights that go beyond headline numbers to show emerging trends and critical detail,” said CNBC Senior Vice President of Business News Dan Colarusso.
The Retail Monitor data will be announced approximately one week prior to the US Census Bureau’s Retail Sales figures. CNBC will provide in-depth analysis of the monthly retail sales findings across CNBC’s multiple platforms.
The CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor offers a headline monthly and annual look at retail sales performance figures for the following:
- Total retail sales (excluding auto, gas)
- Core retail sales (excluding auto, gas, and restaurants)
- 9 distinct retail sectors plus restaurants
The data will be shown both seasonally and not seasonally adjusted. Unlike survey-based measures, once the monthly CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor data is released, it is final and will not be revised monthly or annually. To access the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor sales data, click here.